Marine Debris: Impacts Being Seen Even at the Smallest Levels.

If you have ever walked along the beach with family or friends, or maybe walking your dog you have encountered marine debris. It is a growing problem in oceans around the world. Defined as any man made object discarded, disposed of, or abandoned that enters the coastal or marine environment, marine debris may enter directly from a ship, or indirectly when washed out to sea via rivers, streams and storm drains. There are several types of marine debris including plastic, glass, metal, Styrofoam, rubber, derelict fishing gear, and derelict vessels. The main sources are ocean-based or land- based. Ocean-based sources includes fishing vessels who lose gear as well as recreational boats, shore-fishing, stationary platforms such as oil rigs and gas platforms as well as cargo ships and other vessels. Land based sources can be generated when items are blown and swept into the sea. Poor waste management, dumping, littering, storm water discharges, and extreme natural events all contribute to land-based marine debris. Last September the first International Research Workshop on the Occurrence, Effects and Fate of Microplastic Marine Debris was held at the University of Washington. Microplastics is defined as any particles that are smaller than 5mm. It was a joint effort between the University of Washington and NOAA’s Marine debris Program. The purpose was to bring together environmental research scientists from around the globe to discuss the impacts of microplastics interaction and ingestion with marine organisms. The findings have posed that microplastics may pose problems in the marine environment due to the documented occurrences of the microplastics in the marine environment, the long lifespan of these plastics, which therefore build up, and their ingestion by marine organisms. Many of the impacts are unknown, but there has been documentation showing the ability of plastics to transport contaminants. Even the most minute examples of marine debris can have a long term effect on the ocean environment and its organisms. Scientists continue to study the effects of all marine debris and the impacts posed by this growing problem.